Navigating the Currents of Opportunity:

DRA Regional Development Plan IV

Advancing investments in infrastructure, workforce 

development, small businesses and entrepreneurship 

and communities

FEBRUARY 2023

BATON ROUGE, LA
2

LEE BLUFF, MO

Over the last few decades, the United States has 

recognized the urgent need to address deeply 

entrenched poverty, resolve longstanding socioeconomic challenges, and support people living in 

rural and distressed areas across the country.

The COVID-19 pandemic more acutely surfaced 

what we already knew to be true of our region: 

limited infrastructure that connects us; inequitable 

access to economic opportunities; health resources 

are stretched thin; and fragile regional systems that 

support community capacity.

The currents are shifting. We are now experiencing 

unprecedented and ripe opportunities to invest 

in and support rural America and the DRA region. 

New funding and opportunities are flowing into the 

Mississippi River Delta, while new seeds of economic 

growth and development are being sown across the 

Alabama Black Belt.

Since being confirmed as Federal Co-Chair of the 

Delta Regional Authority (DRA), I have had the 

privilege of facilitating robust conversations with 

a broad range of community members across 

all eight states of the DRA region. We listened to 

the voices and views of residents as well as local, 

state, and regional partners to gain a first-hand 

understanding of what our communities need.

It is with deep gratitude and appreciation to our 

DRA community members and partners that I 

present Navigating the Currents of Opportunity: 

DRA Regional Development Plan IV.

This plan is not just a statement of our priorities, 

but a driver of the actions we will embark on from 

2023 through 2027 to capitalize on tremendous 

opportunities, focus on rural and distressed 

communities, and to strengthen regional 

economic development. The DRA Regional 

Development Plan IV presents our roadmap 

for creating jobs, building communities, and 

improving the lives of the 10 million people who 

reside in the 252 counties and parishes of the 

eight-state Mississippi River Delta and Alabama 

Black Belt regions. Building on our previous 

successes, the plan establishes ambitious new 

goals, strategies, action steps, and guiding 

principles to achieve our vision for the future.

I look forward to continued engagement and to 

working with communities and partners at all 

levels. Only together can we navigate the currents 

of opportunity and strengthen our dynamic, 

culturally diverse, and economically significant 

region.

Sincerely,

Corey Wiggins, Ph.D.

Federal Co-Chair, Delta Regional Authority

MESSAGE FROM THE FEDERAL CO-CHAIR

DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

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DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Delta Regional Authority would like to thank the many individuals and organizations that 

contributed to this regional development plan, including the hundreds of residents and community 

and business leaders that participated in the discovery phase of this project. The valuable expertise 

and insights shared during listening tour engagements, collaboration sessions, community survey 

responses, and interviews expanded our understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the 

DRA region. Developing this community- and research-informed plan would not have been possible 

without their local knowledge of the region. The DRA would also like to thank its staff for their valuable 

guidance and support throughout the planning process. Lastly, we would like to acknowledge that 

in light of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic coupled with the absence of an appointed 

Federal Co-Chair, the DRA delayed the development of this Regional Development Plan. Therefore, it 

reflects a roadmap for the 2023-2027 period.

DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY LEADERSHIP 

DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY BOARD MEMBERS

Dr. Corey Wiggins 

Federal Co-Chair

JB Pritzker

States’ Co-Chair 

Kay Ivey 

Alabama Governor 

Sarah Huckabee Sanders 

Arkansas Governor 

J.B. Pritzker 

Illinois Governor 

Andy Beshear 

Kentucky Governor 

John Bel Edwards 

Louisiana Governor 

Tate Reeves 

Mississippi Governor 

Michael L. Parson 

Missouri Governor 

Bill Lee 

Tennessee Governor 

Crystal Talley

Alabama Alternate

Lynne Chambers

Illinois Alternate

Robert J. Knodell

Missouri Alternate

Kenneth Boswell 

Alabama Designee 

Clint O’Neal 

Arkansas Designee 

Brandi Bradley 

Illinois Designee 

 

Dennis Keene 

Kentucky Designee 

Roderick Scott

Louisiana Designee

Anne Hall Brashier

Mississippi Designee

Shad Burner 

Missouri Designee 

Brooxie Carlton

Tennessee Designee
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DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

TABLE OF CONTENTS

About the DRA Region. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

About the DRA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Vision. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mission. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The DRA’s Regional Impact. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Challenges and Needs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Assets and Opportunities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

DRA Guiding Principles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

DRA Strategic Goals ............................

#1: We invest in public infrastructure. .........

#2: We nurture local workforce ecosystems. . .

#3: We promote business growth and 

entrepreneurship.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

#4: We support community placemaking 

and capacity-building. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Measuring Change. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Future of the DRA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Appendicies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Appendix A: Community Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Appendix B: Collaboration Sessions . . . . . . . . . . .

Appendix C: Regional Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Appendix D: DRA Counties & Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Appendix E: References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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7

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7

8

11

15

20

21

22

27

 

31

 

35

39

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42

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51

59

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DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

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The Delta Regional Authority supports residents across 252 counties and parishes within eight 

states in and around the Mississippi River Delta and the Alabama Black Belt. Member states 

include Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. The 

Mississippi River Delta, the seventh largest river delta on Earth, drains water from 40% of the states 

bordering the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico. The term Alabama Black Belt originally 

referred to the rich, black soil covering the region, which has been and remains well-suited to 

agriculture, and was recently designated as a National Heritage Area. 

While home to 10 million residents, the DRA region 

is the most economically distressed part of the 

United States. Among the region’s 252 counties 

and parishes, 232 are characterized as distressed 

and 221 are characterized by persistent poverty. 

Even in non-distressed counties, isolated areas 

of distress exist with high rates of poverty or 

unemployment.

ABOUT THE DRA REGION

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

• A distressed county is one with an 

unemployment rate of at least 1% higher 

than the national average for the most recent 

24-month period and per capita income of 80% 

or less of the national per capita income during 

that period.

• A county in persistent poverty is one with 

poverty rates of 20% of the population, or more, 

for at least 30 years (per the USDA Economic 

Research Service).

Despite these economic conditions, millions of 

Americans across the country rely on the DRA 

region for agriculture, manufacturing, textiles, and 

supply chain logistics, as well as natural resources. 

In addition, the Mississippi River continues to serve 

as a significant transportation artery. The entire 

area provides abundant opportunities for tourism, 

with its many cultural heritage sites, natural 

beauty, and outdoor recreational activities. 

UNPRECEDENTED OPPORTUNITY

At this time there is an unprecedented opportunity 

to make a once in a generation impact, especially 

in distressed and rural communities. An influx of 

new federal funding, especially for infrastructure, 

broadband, and workforce development, 

represents a historic opportunity to reset the 
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

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APPROXIMATE DRA REGION

ILLUSTRATION OF THE DRA SERVICE AREA, FOR OFFICIAL MAP SEE APPENDIX D

way we support economic development in the 

DRA region. Tapping into the momentum of new 

broader federal initiatives like Justice40 and the 

Presidential Executive Order on Equity (E.O. 13985), 

state leaders can employ a more equity-centered 

design approach to new investments and bring 

underserved communities into the planning 

process. The DRA looks forward to continuing to 

work with local, state, and federal leaders to bolster 

investments and increase economic opportunities 

in this region of our country. 
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

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The DRA was established in 2000 as a formal framework for joint Federal-State collaboration to 

promote and encourage the economic development of the lower Mississippi River and Alabama 

Black Belt regions. To fulfill that purpose, the DRA invests in projects supporting transportation 

infrastructure, basic public infrastructure, workforce training, and business development. The 

DRA works to help create jobs, build communities, and improve the lives of those who reside in 

the region.

The DRA’s enabling legislation dictates that at least 75% of the DRA’s funds must be invested in 

economically distressed counties and parishes. In addition, half of the DRA’s funds must support 

basic public infrastructure and transportation improvements.

ABOUT THE DELTA REGIONAL AUTHORITY

VISION

The DRA envisions the region as a place where 

people and businesses have access to economic 

opportunities in vibrant, sustainable, and resilient 

communities.

MISSION

The DRA’s mission is to realize that vision through 

the practical application of innovative ideas and 

strategies that will foster inclusive communities, 

strengthen regional collaboration and productive 

capacity, achieve sustained, long-term economic 

development, and produce meaningful 

opportunities for all people in the DRA region.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

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Since the release of RDP III in 2016, the DRA has responded effectively to the region’s challenges 

through its programs and investments. The DRA works to enhance the region’s economic viability 

as a convener of invested regional partners, knowledge hub for economic development funding and 

resources, and financial backer supporting initiatives that empower and connect local communities. 

The DRA invests in a broad range of initiatives that support the four overarching goals of the DRA: 

investing in public infrastructure, developing local workforces, promoting business growth and 

entrepreneurship, and supporting sustainable communities. From 2021 to 2022, distressed counties 

saw a $20 million increase in funding. With the goal of fostering equity, the DRA has started to track the 

population demographics of communities where funds are invested (in addition to tracking funding 

and accrued program benefits in distressed communities). The DRA plans to continually track these 

metrics and to assess how and where funds are being used to promote equity across the region.

The following initiatives exemplify the progress and impact the DRA has fostered in the region.

THE DRA’S REGIONAL IMPACT

DRA SEDAP PROJECT: GUTHRIE-TODD COUNTY, KY

STATE’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 

ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SEDAP)

As one of DRA’S main investment tools, SEDAP 

provides direct investments for basic public 

infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, 

business development, and workforce 

development. From 2017-2022, SEDAP projects 

facilitated these impacts:

• 504,297 Total Families Affected by 

Infrastructure Projects

• 164,197 Total Individuals Trained

• 35,409 Jobs Created or Retained
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

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COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE FUND (CIF)

CIF complements SEDAP as a primary investment 

tool for DRA. Investments support projects that 

address flood control, basic public infrastructure, 

and transportation infrastructure improvements. 

Since 2017, CIF projects facilitated these impacts:

• 298,505 Total Families Affected by Infrastructure 

Projects

• 1,537 Total Individuals Trained

• 8,020 Total Jobs Created or Retained

DELTA DOCTORS

This program increases access to quality healthcare 

in DRA communities by using a J-1 visa waiver 

to allow foreign physicians trained in the United 

States to work in areas with a shortage of health 

professionals. 

• From 2019 to 2021, the DRA sponsored 440 

physicians across the region, with 47% of 

projects taking place in Alabama and Louisiana. 

~25% of DRA-sponsored doctors work in a 

primary care role, with the remainder working 

across more than 18 specialties. 

DELTA REGION COMMUNITY HEALTH SYSTEMS 

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (DRCHSD)

In collaboration with the U.S. Department of 

Health and Human Services (HHS), DRCHSD 

enhances healthcare delivery by providing technical 

assistance to critical access hospitals, small rural 

hospitals, rural health clinics, and other healthcare 

organizations.

• From 2017 to 2021, the program supported 

43 organizations (37 hospitals, 5 Rural Health 

Clinics, and 1 Federally-Qualified Health Center) 

in 40 DRA communities across all eight DRA 

states. A total of 73,220 county jobs were 

supported due to hospital and clinic employee 

spending (2017-2021), which represents about 

19% of all local jobs in these communities.

INNOVATIVE READINESS TRAINING (IRT) 

MISSIONS

Through a partnership with the U.S. Department 

of Defense (DoD) and the U.S. Military’s reserve 

forces, the DRA brings medical, dental, and optical 

care to residents in need of quality healthcare 

at no cost to the patients. DRA works closely 

with communities and the DoD to assist with 

the application process as well as planning 

and implementation for the two-week medical 

missions. 

• Between 2021 and 2022, DRA IRT missions 

totaled $2,055,800 and served over 5,500 

patients across nearly 9,280 unique mission 

services.

IRT MISSIONS (2021-2022)
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

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WORKING OPPORTUNITIES IN RURAL 

COMMUNITIES (WORC)

WORC works with the U.S. Department of Labor 

to expand the impact of existing workforce 

development initiatives and to support workforce 

training and education in rural communities. 

• From 2019 to 2022, DRA communities received 

44 WORC grants, totaling over $57 million in 

grant funding, serving 12,426 participants. 

DELTA LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE (DLI)

The DLI was created to empower a corps of leaders 

with the tools, experiences, and networks to address 

local and regional challenges across the DRA’s 

footprint. Programs have included the DLI Executive 

Academy, Delta Leadership Network (DLN), and the 

Authentic Leadership executive education program 

at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of 

Government in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

• Between 2016 and 2021, there were 263 DLI and 

DLI + Harvard Kennedy School Participants. 

Today, there are over 600 members in DRA’s 

Delta Leadership Network.

DELTA WORKFORCE PROGRAM (DWP)

To complement the WORC partnership, the DRA 

awards grants, along with pre-award technical 

assistance workshops and webinars, and postaward technical assistance to grantees.

• From 2019 to 2021, DRA communities received 

35 DWP grants that totaled over $5 million 

in grant funding and served 82 different 

communities across the region. 

DRA PROJECT: JOB CORPS - KY
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

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While the challenges and needs in DRA 

communities are not unique to the region, this 

particular combination of challenges and needs is 

unique, given that the drivers are so deeply rooted. 

The challenges and needs are born of a history 

of multigenerational poverty, unemployment, 

and outward migration, which the DRA works to 

address through investments guided by its goals 

and strategies.

Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic proved 

particularly damaging to the region. Five DRA 

member states (Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, 

Tennessee, Louisiana) were among the top ten 

states with the highest rates of death between 

March 2020 and December 2022.1

The pandemic exacerbated the lack of digital 

connectivity in the region and highlighted the 

CHALLENGES & NEEDS

need for increased infrastructure investments. It 

also furthered the disparity of available healthcare 

resources and lack of healthcare professionals, 

which have reduced the quality of life of residents 

and potential population growth. This all 

negatively impacts childhood education, families’ 

well-being, and workforce participation. 

DRA counties have experienced a sharp increase 

in unemployment and a reduced labor force. 

Unemployment rates have fallen as economic 

activity has returned to normal; however, labor 

force participation remains below pre-pandemic 

levels, with DRA counties and parishes trailing 

behind DRA states and the nation.2 Along with an 

aging population and “brain drain”, these factors 

have contributed to continual outward migration 

and population declines.

Fortunately, each need points to an opportunity 

to fulfill that need and, in the process, to address 

one or more of the underlying challenges. Resilient 

people residing in the Mississippi Delta and 

Alabama Black Belt are determined to overcome 

the forces that have resulted in persistent poverty, 

unemployment, outward migration, and limited 

access to healthcare. To support their efforts, 

the DRA has identified the following specific 

challenges and needs to be addressed.

“We have seen some the best and 

brightest leave the Delta due to lack 

of opportunity and desire for a better 

quality of life. This also results in a lack 

of investment because the workforce 

shortages and shrinking populations 

make it a risky bet to invest in the Delta.” 

DRA RESIDENT
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

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AGING PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE

Public infrastructure in the form of utilities 

(such as water and sewer facilities), digital 

communications (primarily broadband and 

cellular), and transportation improvements (for 

example, improvements to roads and public 

transit), remain a major priority for the DRA region. 

Robust and resilient public infrastructure directly 

supports residents, attracts and retains businesses, 

and fosters economic growth.

PERSISTENT POVERTY

In 2020, one in five DRA residents was estimated 

to be living below the federal poverty line. This is 

both a driver and a result of high unemployment; 

banking, healthcare, and broadband deserts; 

and lack of affordable housing. Investments that 

address the root causes of multigenerational 

poverty will not transform the region overnight, 

but a sustained and targeted effort can help break 

the cycle. 

HISTORICALLY UNDERINVESTED COMMUNITIES

Marginalized groups across the DRA region 

continue to live with the impact and legacy 

of actions and policies that have profoundly 

impacted the distribution of land, wealth, and 

education. These realities have resulted in unequal 

access to economic opportunity for people of color 

and for rural residents in general, too many of 

whom have not been able to fully participate in our 

nation’s growth and prosperity.

POPULATION DECLINE

While most DRA states experienced significant 

population growth during the last 10 years, DRA 

counties and parishes within these states saw 

population decreases that averaged 6%. The ability 

to attract and retain talent remains essential to the 

region’s future economic vitality. 

-5.9%

7.4%

-8.7%

5.1%

-6.4%

3.3%

-9.2%

-0.1%

-2.9%

3.8%

-3.6%

2.7%

-6.4%

-0.2%

-8.2%

2.8%

-2.0%

8.9%

-12%

-10%

-8%

-6%

-4%

-2%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

Population Growth (2020 vs. 2010)

POPULATION GROWTH (2010 vs. 2020)

SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

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WIDESPREAD HEALTH INEQUITY

91% of DRA counties are Health Professional 

Shortage Areas (HPSAs), while 50 rural hospitals 

have closed across DRA states since 2005, 

impacting patients’ access to healthcare and 

leading to job losses in surrounding communities.3

Poor health, resulting from limited access to 

healthcare, undermines child development, 

limits workforce participation, and reinforces 

cycles of poverty. The region’s residents need 

access to quality, affordable healthcare as well as 

investments in innovative public health practices, 

such as telehealth. 

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GAPS

While the DRA region has comparable rates of 

high school diploma or equivalent attainment as 

the national average, DRA counties and parishes 

have about half the percentage of individuals 

with a four-year college degree (16.4%) compared 

with the national average (32.9%). The region’s 

counties and parishes also trail behind their statelevel peers by ten percentage points (at 27% of the 

population).

4

 The ability to attract and retain talent 

is an essential element of economic vitality that 

warrants urgent action. Additionally, limited access 

to affordable and quality housing continues to 

place a strain on the local workforce. The U.S. now 

has a deficit of 3.8 million homes, with the greatest 

supply shortages at low-income price points.5

 “Our county has some of the highest rates 

of chronic disease and is known for its poor 

health outcomes and health disparities. 

Rural towns across the area suffer similar 

conditions: poor access to high-quality 

care, race-based health disparities, aging 

populations, and health-adverse socioenvironmental factors.”

DRA RESIDENT

16.4%

32.9%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

DRA Average United States

P E R C E N T O F P O P U L A T I O N W I T H A 

COLLEGE DEREE (2020)

SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

CHALLENGING SMALL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT

Small businesses account for 99.4% of businesses 

across DRA member states and employ 46% of the 

active workforce6 emphasizing the importance 

of cultivating a robust ecosystem for small 

businesses to thrive, empowering minorityowned businesses, and increasing access to 

capital. In a survey to DRA community residents, 

respondents identified “Business Development 

and Entrepreneurship” as the top-ranked area 

that the DRA should focus on to support a strong 

and health community, further enforcing the 

acute role for DRA to support local businesses and 

communities.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

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SEVERE CLIMATE EMERGENCIES

In the past five years alone, FEMA declared 233 

disasters across the eight DRA states, including 

hurricanes, tornadoes, tropical storms, severe 

storms, and floods.7 These major disasters, which 

disproportionately impact low-income and other 

marginalized communities, have resulted in 

“severe property damage, deaths, and injuries” 8in 

addition to infrastructure disruptions and failures, 

such as power outages and limited access to clean 

water and energy. They have also degraded the 

natural environments on which many communities 

rely for economic stability. 

“We possess unmatched resilience forged 

by living through and recovering from 

various disasters. We have an undying 

spirit to succeed and overcome the odds, 

and we embrace and embody the strong 

cultural elements of our history.” 

DRA RESIDENT

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO

LOW LEVELS OF JOB GROWTH

The DRA region suffers from slower job growth 

than national averages. A survey launched by 

the DRA in support of this plan found that 66% 

of respondents believe there are not enough job 

opportunities in the region. When asked about the 

greatest challenges to economic development and 

growth, 19.9% of respondents cited “Providing job 

opportunities with a living wage (or better)” as the 

biggest obstacle.

“Although there are several opportunities 

for jobs; many of them do not pay a living 

wage. People in my community have to 

travel to other counties for a living wage.”

DRA RESIDENT
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The DRA Community Survey was launched by the DRA to solicit residents’ perspectives from across the 

region on their communitys' strengths and challenges. When asked what makes them proud to live 

in their communities, respondents most often highlighted the people (accounting for more than onethird of responses), their community (described as close-knit, with ample character and charm), and the 

region’s potential for economic development and growth. 

ASSETS & OPPORTUNITIES

The DRA region remains rich in assets and presents numerous opportunities to enable its residents to 

navigate toward economic growth and further enrich their lives. The region’s assets attract visitors to, 

and keep residents in, the area. From the Mississippi River and its tributaries, to diverse higher education 

institutions, to rich historical and cultural traditions, people in the DRA region are justifiably proud of 

their homeland and the contributions they have made and continue to make to the nation.

When asked what one word they would use to describe their community, 60% of respondents cited a 

positive reference. Of the 166 responses, the top five most submitted words were: rural (9%), growing 

(6%), potential (5%), progressive (3%), and resilient (3%).

of respondents said they 

are most proud of People or 

Community.

WHAT MAKES YOU MOST PROUD TO LIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY? (DRA COMMUNITY SURVEY)

WHAT ONE WORD WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE YOUR COMMUNITY? (DRA COMMUNITY SURVEY)
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

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According to observations provided by DRA partners, stakeholders, residents, and Delta Leadership 

Institute (DLI) participants, the top assets in their areas are: 

1. PEOPLE & COMMUNITY

2. INDUSTRY & EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

The DRA region is home to essential agricultural 

and commercial industries. Its 690 two- and fouryear institutions of higher learning,9 including 

20 HBCUs10, drive local economies and prepare 

residents for the workplace.

“Without a doubt, the people of the 

Black Belt Region are its strongest 

asset. [...] I work on a daily basis with the 

people of these communities and know 

firsthand how passionate they are and 

their willingness to take on new projects 

and improve current initiatives. 

DRA RESIDENT

Residents of the DRA region cherish the people 

and sense of community that they have created 

and that has been passed down to them. This 

feeling of connectedness compels them to 

stay in the region despite its economic and 

environmental challenges, and to work to make 

their communities all that they can be. 

Regional Spotlights

Tennessee: Held since 1934, the West Tennessee 

Strawberry Festival is Tennessee’s largest and 

longest running festival. For a week, over 75,000 

people come together to participate to celebrate 

and experience the food, fun, and entertainment 

that West Tennessee has to offer.

Federally Recognized Tribes:

DRA is home to five federally 

recognized Tribes: TunicaBiloxi Tribe, Poarch Band of 

Creek Indians, Coushatta 

Tribe of Louisiana, Jena Band 

of Choctaw, and Chitimacha 

Tribe of Louisiana, each of 

which provides a rich cultural 

heritage and connection to 

the region.

Regional Spotlights 

Louisiana: Together, five of Louisiana’s deep-water 

ports on the lower Mississippi River – New Orleans, 

South Louisiana, Baton Rouge, St. Bernard, and 

Plaquemines – comprise the largest port complex 

in the world, handling more tonnage than any 

other port system. 
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

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3. NATURAL RESOURCES & RECREATION

Among the strongest assets are the waterways, 

forests, and open areas of the DRA region, which 

provide habitat for wildlife and opportunities 

for outdoor recreation. As with people and 

community, the natural beauty of this area of the 

country also motivates residents to stay despite 

the challenges it presents.

Regional Spotlights

Kentucky: The Clarks River National Wildlife 

Refuge provides a popular destination for 

residents and visitors for hunting, fishing, hiking, 

and other recreational opportunities given its 

biological diversity and abundant wildlife.

Missouri: The Ozark National Scenic Riverways 

is America’s first congressionally designated 

national park for the preservation of a wild river 

system. The park encompasses more than 80,000 

acres around two spring-fed rivers: the Current 

River and its major tributary, the Jacks Fork River. 

Arkansas: Bayou Bartholomew, considered the 

longest bayou in the world, begins near Pine Bluff, 

Arkansas, and flows 359 river miles to the Ouachita 

River in Sterlington, Louisiana. It provides 

opportunities for fishing, hunting, and trapping, 

outdoor recreation, and a home for wildlife. 

Mississippi: Alcorn State University (Claiborne 

County) is the nation’s oldest historically Black 

land-grant college. The university was founded in 

1871 as a result of Mississippian’s efforts to educate 

the descendants of formerly enslaved Africans. 

“This community college is such a great 

asset to our area. It gives the parent 

who wants to go back to school a local 

option, the high school student dualcredit hours to graduate college sooner, 

and the fresh graduate from high 

school a few more low-cost years at 

home while earning their degree.” 

DRA RESIDENT
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

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4. HISTORY & CULTURE

The history and culture of the counties and 

parishes of the DRA region have given birth to 

distinctive cuisines, entire musical genres, and 

civil rights movements. Given its own unique 

history and culture, the region’s contribution to 

the history and culture of the United States has 

been profound and, while always evolving, clearly 

worth preserving.

Regional Spotlights 

Alabama: The Gee’s Bend Quiltmakers, the 

community’s unique patchwork quilting society, 

preserves a tradition with roots that date back to 

the 19th century. Drawing from their history, this 

group of quiltmakers was formally founded in the 

1960s as the Freedom Quilting Bee, a workers’ 

cooperative providing economic opportunity 

and political empowerment for African American 

women, and endures today. Hailed by the New 

York Times as “some of the most miraculous works 

of modern art America has produced,” Gee’s Bend 

quilts constitute a crucial chapter in the history 

of American art and today are in the permanent 

collections of over 20 leading art museums.

Mississippi: The GRAMMY 

Museum Mississippi is a 

celebration of the power 

and history of music. 

Exhibits, interactive 

experiences, and films 

explore great music 

including genres from 

rock and hip-hop, to 

country, classical, Latin, 

R&B, and jazz and 

provide visitors the 

opportunity to engage, 

learn, and be inspired.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

1 9

5. WORKFORCE & BUSINESS GROWTH

While beset by unemployment and its resulting 

poverty, the DRA region is home to a workforce 

that seeks opportunity and economic growth. 

There is an opportunity for communities to adopt 

innovative practices through increased data 

access, similar to smart cities across the U.S., along 

with supportive services (e.g., transportation, 

childcare, and healthcare) for job training success.

Regional Spotlights

“The people in my community are like 

none other. Yet they want to live better, 

have more. With training and education, 

they are skilled and ready to do just 

about any job. We simply need more 

opportunities to display that we don’t 

mind working hard for what we want 

and to provide a better quality of life for 

our children.”

DRA RESIDENT

Illinois: An example of the 

local makers and business 

owners in the DRA region 

can be found in Southern 

Illinois where beekeepers, 

potters, Alpaca farms, and 

local wineries comprise 

the Makers’ Trail.

Arkansas: Arkansas ranks first among riceproducing states, accounting for more than 40 

percent of U.S. rice production—primarily long 

and medium grain varieties.11
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

2 0

The DRA’s guiding principles provide an overarching framework that assists in focusing on 

initiatives that address and balance long-standing challenges and more immediate needs. These 

principles can be viewed as setting the overall direction for the DRA’s work over the next five 

years.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

MOVE TOWARD EQUITY: Encourage stakeholders 

to enact programmatic and policy-related 

changes to prioritize equity across the DRA’s 

programs to reflect DRA’s commitment to 

prioritizing equity in its grants and programs. 

Enhance regional sensitivity by responding to the 

unique needs, opportunities, and cultural contexts 

presented across the region’s 252 counties and 

parishes.

ELEVATE RURAL COMMUNITIES: Prioritize 

investments in economically distressed 

communities and in support of inclusive, 

sustainable rural communities. Support the efforts 

of local grassroots organizations engaged in 

furthering progress on DRA strategic goals. 

FOSTER TRUE COLLABORATION: Encourage 

productive partnerships by prioritizing 

collaboration among states, economic 

development districts, institutions of higher 

learning, the private sector, philanthropic 

organizations, and DRA region residents.

ADOPT LEADING PRACTICES: Promote efficiency 

and effectiveness by implementing collaborative, 

innovative, and proven management practices 

to rapidly reinvest taxpayer dollars in the 

communities that the DRA serves. This includes 

being accountable for performance targets and 

driving partners and grant recipients to shoulder 

shared responsibility for meeting those targets.

MEASURE OUTCOMES: Use data to inform 

decisions regarding grants and investments and 

track outcomes from those initiatives. Facilitate 

thought-leadership and data-sharing in order 

to promote transparency while monitoring 

emerging challenges and ongoing progress.

LOOK TO THE LONG TERM: Prioritize investments 

that address the challenges and needs of the 

DRA region not only today but in the future. Also, 

promote investments in resilient infrastructure 

that ameliorate environmental impact.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

2 1

As the theme of this plan underscores, the DRA’s strategic goals reflect the Authority’s fourfold 

commitment to advancing infrastructure, job creation, business expansion, and local economies. 

They are related and, to an extent, interdependent in that they support one another. Also, each goal 

aims to enact specific strategies. For example, infrastructure investments that reinforce resilience and 

stewardship of resources preserve the region’s natural attractiveness. Investments that contribute to 

residents’ health and well-being enable the stability and effectiveness of the workforce.

Within each strategy, the plan highlights example projects and actions that the DRA and its partners 

may take to advance the corresponding goal. These examples are synthesized from Collaboration 

Sessions, 1:1 interviews, academic and industry research across the region, innovative case studies, and 

successful DRA investments and programs. They are illustrative, not comprehensive, and offered to 

provide inspiration to potential partners and grantees. 

Therefore, these goals and their supporting strategies have been carefully conceived to achieve 

progress toward realizing DRA’s vision and fulfilling its mission. Indeed, the example projects and 

actions aim to convey the extremely broad range of opportunities, initiatives, and activities that the 

DRA may consider funding.

2023-2027 GOALS & STRATEGIES

We promote 

business growth and 

entrepreneurship.

We invest in public 

infrastructure.

We nurture local 

workforce ecosystems.

We support community 

placemaking and 

capacity-building.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

2 2

We invest in public 

infrastructure.

DRA will expand and invest in the resiliency of the region’s public infrastructure 

to improve residents’ quality of life and increase economic opportunity. This 

includes utilities (e.g., water, sewer), digital communications, (e.g., broadband, 

cellular), and transportation (e.g., roads improvements, public transit).

Strategy 1.1 Invest in resilient public physical infrastructure repair and modernization to provide 

DRA residents with reliable transportation, utility, telecommunications, digital and other public 

infrastructure.

Example projects and actions by the DRA and its partners may include: 

• Support modernization projects for public utilities (e.g., wastewater treatment plants, sewer 

systems).

• Deploy new broadband infrastructure, replace antiquated infrastructure, or upgrade or 

extend existing infrastructure across the region’s communities, including support for the 

establishment of public carrier-neutral submarine cable landing stations.

• Make strategic investments in the region’s public transportation infrastructure (e.g., highways, 

railroads, ports, waterways, dams and bridges, and airports ) that further workforce retention or 

job creation. 

• Repair existing transportation infrastructure so that social and economic activities within 

communities are not 

disrupted.

• Facilitate resident access 

to work opportunities 

within and across 

communities through 

improvement of roads, 

public transit, and public 

transit alternatives (e.g., 

carpooling programs, 

partnerships with 

ridesharing companies).

DRA PROJECT: WATER CONTROL, BAYOU LAFOURCHE, LA
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

2 3

• Support infrastructure investments that are resilient to and will withstand climate 

emergencies and natural disasters (e.g., severe weather events, disasters, flooding).

• Support dredging and port infrastructure investments that help maintain traffic along 

the region’s waterways and contribute to the economic viability of the ports; this will help 

strengthen the Mississippi River’s attractiveness to national and global businesses by 

partnering with local stakeholders, such as the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative.

Strategy 1.2 Invest in high-efficiency public infrastructure development to preserve the 

region's natural heritage and urge natural resource stewardship.

Example projects and actions by DRA partners may include: 

• Prioritize clean drinking and surface water and waste management projects aimed 

at responsible resource management and the removal of waste threatening wetland 

ecosystems.

• Expand the DRA region’s energy 

infrastructure and production capacity, 

by emphasizing high efficiency, clean 

technologies and indigenous resources 

(e.g., biofuels, water, wind, geothermal, 

hydroelectric, and solar) wherever 

possible.

• Provide investments that support clean 

energy and resilience while creating 

jobs and rebuilding manufacturing 

capacity in the DRA region.

• Invest in public infrastructure that 

will improve physical access to natural 

assets (e.g., waterways, state parks, local 

landscapes) and boost eco- and cultural 

tourism.

Strategy 1.1 cont’d
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

2 4

Strategy 1.3 Pursue digital inclusion through affordable, quality digital communications 

infrastructure to enable communities to remain connected to and access critical services and 

resources.

Example projects and actions by the DRA and its partners may include: 

• Construct telecommunications and broadband infrastructure and broadband alternatives 

(e.g., cable, fiber, wireless, fixed wireless, and satellite) that use commercial grade equipment 

that will meet current needs and be scalable to meet future public needs.

• Develop infrastructure to reduce the digital divide by constructing middle mile or last mile 

networks as well as interconnection in rural areas and tribal lands.

• Stimulate access to high-speed broadband services by DRA communities for telehealth, 

remote learning, telework and entrepreneurship, economic growth, and job creation by 

endorsing affordable, quality digital infrastructure.

• Repurpose abandoned facilities to use as communal digital learning centers (where residents 

can access distance learning, telehealth, digital inclusion efforts, economic resources, and 

telework) by refurbishing the facilities with broadband access and digital devices, as a lowercost alternative when carrier services are not available in the area.

• Work with major telecommunications and broadband providers in the DRA region to 

better understand and communicate challenges and opportunities of improving digital 

infrastructure and discuss opportunities for smaller firms to expand services to support rural 

areas.

DRA PROJECT: SOUTHERN ILLINOIS REGIONAL AIRPORT
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

2 5

Strategy 1.4 Support environmentally sustainable investments in communities within the 

region that are disproportionately affected by human-made environmental hazards.

Example projects and actions by the DRA and its partners may include: 

• Develop and implement recognized solutions to support communities overburdened by 

pollution or subject to underinvestment in physical infrastructure.

• Engage in regional planning to improve spatial equity and improve access to public services 

and encourage business development.

• Reconstruct physical infrastructure that exacerbates socio-economic challenges in 

communities or hinders community expansion.

• Convene and include low-income, racial and ethnic minorities, and tribal communities in the 

creation of sustainable, inclusive environmental public infrastructure planning.

• Work to invest in programs that promulgate environmental sustainability.12
2 6

DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

DRA SUCCESS STORY: Hernando Green T. 

Road Widening in Mississippi

Hernando, Mississippi (DeSoto County)

To accommodate a new 1 million square-foot grocery distribution facility creating 79 new full-time jobs, 

the City of Hernando agreed to widen Green T Road. Green T Road is a service road adjacent to Interstates 

55 and 269, which are main thoroughfares in Mississippi’s 3rd most populous county. This infrastructure 

improvement was necessary for highway safety to allow for the proper transfer of trucking access from state 

Highway 51 to Interstate Highway 269. Preparing for a 2023 operational deadline, the bids for work came in 

at approximately $1 million over budget due to market increases in prices of asphalt and other materials. 

DRA funds filled the gap with 

a $986,000 award that allowed 

the project to be completed as 

planned and on schedule.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

2 7

We nurture local 

workforce ecosystems.

DRA will improve networks of agencies, organizations, businesses, and 

educational institutions providing workforce development opportunities. It will 

promote access to services, funding, and programs that enable career stability, 

including healthcare, housing, education, and food security.

Strategy 2.1 Invest in workforce development programs (e.g., apprenticeships, internships, 

programs at technical and community colleges) tailored to regional needs, designed to support 

residents to enter and remain in the workforce, and structured to connect participants to 

existing jobs and/or attract new employment opportunities.

Example projects and actions by the DRA and its partners may include: 

• Expand workforce development programs to provide industry-specific training (e.g., clean 

energy, broadband installation and maintenance, healthcare), strengthen talent pipelines, 

enhance industry clusters, and support regional economic development.

• Build on successful programs that align vocational education, professional certification 

programs, skills training, and apprenticeship/internship opportunities with local, regional, and 

state-wide industry economic development efforts and provide incentives for trainees to stay 

in their communities.

• Convene and partner with federal, state, and local agencies as well as regional employers and 

partners (e.g., state workforce development programs, regional workforce boards, universities, 

technical and community colleges) to create benchmarks for workforce development needs 

in the DRA region, share best practices across counties and parishes, and leverage available 

funds.

• Support programs that develop mentorship networks and opportunities in workforce 

development.

• Pursue strategic initiatives that strengthen partnerships between industry and higher 

education institutions to enable workforce and regional economic development.

• Support the creation and promotion of an online knowledge bank of information on future 

employment opportunities aimed at educating parents, students, and teachers about career 

options.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

2 8

Strategy 2.2 Equip and enable an inclusive and equitable workforce today for multigenerational impacts and a stronger workforce in the future. 

Example projects and actions by the DRA and its partners may include: 

• Invest in the education, certification, and career growth of educational professionals, 

especially those who care for and educate pre-k through 3rd grade students to increase 

children’s likelihood of pursuing a post-secondary education, future earnings, and economic 

mobility and help alleviate persistent poverty.13

• Fund wrap-around support services that address barriers to participation and increase 

enrollment in and completion of critical training programs. These may include financial 

difficulty, inadequate childcare, family care-giving responsibilities, personal or family health 

concerns, lack of transportation, and/or other barriers to participation.

• Expand access to reliable public transportation to enable more workers to access employment 

sites.

• Develop and expand public/private partnerships to provide low-cost transportation service, 

ridesharing, carpooling, and/or bus pass benefits for transportation to and from employment 

sites and to ease “first and last mile access” (the way riders arrive to and leave from stops).

• Support programs that focus on work readiness, technical skills, and traditional and digital 

literacy skills across age groups, particularly those that leverage partnerships with higher 

education institutions to simultaneously build talent pipelines (e.g., “Grow-Your-Own” 

programs).

• Support local strategic economic development projects, inclusive of planning for affordable 

housing needs to support workforce development.

Strategy 2.3 Increase access to affordable, high-quality health and wellbeing services to 

improve employees’ health and support communities’ economic prosperity.14

Example projects and actions by the 

DRA and its partners may include: 

• Invest in programs and initiatives that 

increase the number of healthcare 

providers in Healthcare Provider 

Shortage Areas (e.g., J-1 visa waivers), 

with an additional focus on rural areas 

and mental health and substance use 

disorder support professionals.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

2 9

• Promote healthcare education to encourage residents’ use of health care resources for higher 

labor-force participation and healthier people across the DRA region.

• Increase access to medical, dental, and optical care for DRA residents, particularly in rural 

areas, through the existing partnership with U.S. Department of Defense through Innovative 

Readiness Training (IRT) missions.

• Enhance healthcare delivery and boost economic development in select rural communities 

through intensive technical assistance to healthcare providers through the Delta Region 

Community Health Systems Development - Technical Assistance Program.

• Support the creation and promotion of an online knowledge bank of information to increase 

awareness of existing healthcare programs that support disadvantaged populations 

(e.g., persistent poverty communities, rural communities, and historically marginalized 

populations).

• Invest in programs that expand access to mental health and substance use disorder services 

so DRA residents can access and retain jobs.

• Convene federal, state, and local agencies to design and implement new public-private 

strategies for improving health access and outcomes.

• Prioritize investment in projects with a direct connection between economic development 

and healthy food access in response to the White House National Strategy on Hunger, 

Nutrition and Health.

Strategy 2.3 cont’d

DRA WORC GRANT - UNIVERSITY OF WEST ALABAMA (UWA)

WORC grant for a 

UWA's Economic 

and Workforce 

Development 

Division, Leveraging 

Interconnected 

Networks for Change 

and Sustainability 

(LINC)
3 0

DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

DRA SUCCESS STORY: Commercial Driver’s 

License Training in Kentucky

Madisonville, Kentucky (Hopkins County)

DRA funds were used to purchase a truck with a sleeper area, which was converted into a three-person seat 

to facilitate more individuals traveling together for Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) driving practice and 

testing at Madisonville Community College (MCC). The availability of CDL training was advertised through 

promotional wrap placed on the truck. A portion of funds were budgeted for supplies such as cones to set 

up a driving course and traditional marketing materials such as flyers, handouts, etc. MCC uses a parking lot 

on its Technical Campus for driving practice and instruction as students cannot drive on a public road with a 

CDL permit. 

From July 2020 to October 2021, 

the college enrolled 50 students 

in CDL training with a 96% 

completion rate. Thirty-six of the 

students received tuition funding. 

The staff of MCC recognized a 

workforce development need and 

were able to meet this need due 

in part to the financial support 

provided by the DRA. The MCC 

CDL training project funded 

by DRA has made the City of 

Madisonville a more desirable 

place for people to live and work 

by supporting training and 

education in this area.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

3 1

We promote 

business growth and 

entrepreneurship.

DRA will strengthen the competitiveness of the region’s employers and attract 

new employers to the region. Support the long-term growth of micro and small 

businesses, especially those that promote local industries such as tourism.

Strategy 3.1 Invest in programs and business opportunities that address critical challenges 

facing DRA communities while providing opportunities to attract and retain talent locally.

Example projects and actions by the DRA and its partners may include: 

• Expand partnership opportunities between micro businesses and local institutions, such 

as schools, community colleges, and universities, to provide services – such as website 

development, website design – at a discounted or no cost.

• Support entrepreneurs, small and micro businesses, programs, and investments that focus 

on high-growth industry sectors (e.g., health, technology, energy) or high-demand regional 

challenges (e.g., childcare, food access, clean energy and technology, transportation).

• Increase rural access to the benefits of unique innovation assets (e.g., startup incubators) found 

within urban centers for greater regional collaboration.

• Address entrepreneur and small and micro business physical space needs (e.g., makerspaces, 

incubators, shared working spaces, façade and signage needs) that also support community 

space needs.

• Support the education, creation, and/or implementation of Community Benefits Agreements 

(CBAs) to ensure measurable, local benefits (e.g., local hiring commitments, job training, 

funding for community services) for DRA residents while reducing risk and increasing access to 

subsidies for developers on large development projects. 

• Support state and local economic development organizations and local development districts 

in their efforts to put in place deal-ready sites for business recruitment and expansion projects.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

3 2

Strategy 3.2 Provide technical assistance and other support for entrepreneurship and small 

business development in the DRA region.

Example projects and actions by the DRA and its partners may include: 

• Develop programs and resources to support small and micro businesses and historically 

marginalized business owners in navigating business registration and certification processes, 

such as dealing with licensing and codes, applying for loans, and obtaining minority-owned 

business certification.

• Support the development of an entrepreneurial network to provide mentorship, coaching, 

and/or expertise to micro or small businesses, such as connections to vendors for new product 

development and resources for minority-owned businesses to become more competitive 

when responding to RFPs, especially for those in rural communities.

• Encourage sustainability in business development initiatives to ensure businesses can endure 

for the long-term.

Strategy 3.3 Expand access to business capital (e.g., revolving loan funds, micro loans, angel 

investing) to support entrepreneurship, local, small and micro business innovation, and 

economic equity.

Example projects and actions by the DRA and its partners may include: 

• Facilitate access to seed and growth capital and credit, including micro-loans, revolving loan 

funds, and loans with flexible interest rates, especially for marginalized groups and minorityowned businesses.

• Provide personal finance education, 

especially related to credit union and 

banking systems, and work with vested 

community partner to promote access 

to affordable banking services.

• Encourage angel investing in rural 

businesses and local investment into 

small and micro businesses, especially 

funding mechanisms that pool 

resources like community foundations.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

3 3

• Support entrepreneurs in growing microenterprises and/or tapping into federal funding 

sources.

• Facilitate public/private partnerships to create loan funds and offer credit enhancement 

programs with Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) that increase access to 

credit bridge gaps in collateral shortfalls for historically marginalized groups across the DRA 

footprint. 

Strategy 3.3 cont'd
3 4

DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

DRA SUCCESS STORY: Business Expansion 

and Job Growth in Sharp County, Arkansas

Ash Flat, Arkansas (Sharp County)

Emerson Professional Tools officially opened their $35 million Arkansas facility on July 29, 2022. The 

company re-fitted the former 277,000 square foot Cherokee Frame manufacturing plant for its professional 

tools business, with a primary focus on producing Greenlee specialty tools and related products for electrical 

tradespeople across North America. 

The Delta Regional Authority invested $307,000 into this project in Sharp County, Arkansas which helped 

leverage an additional nearly $12 million in other federal funding with over $24,000,000 in company 

investment to bring 285 new jobs to this northcentral Arkansas area. The State of Arkansas contributed 

Community Development Block Grant funds for construction and equipment purchase with the 

Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration contributing funds for construction. 

Industrial revenue bonds (IRBs), 

commonly known as “Act 9 

Bonds” in Arkansas, provided 

the Company with competitive 

financing options for property, 

plant and equipment expenses. 

Under Arkansas Act 9 of 

1960, cities and counties are 

authorized to issue IRBs to 

benefit private companies.

“Today is the culmination of the 

strong partnerships we have 

forged over the past two years 

with local, state, and federal 

organizations, and we deeply 

appreciate their support,” Craig 

Sumner, president of Emerson’s 

professional tools business 

said. “We are looking forward 

to establishing strong ties here 

in the Ash Flat community 

and taking a leadership role in 

developing the next generation 

of skilled manufacturing 

workers in Arkansas.”
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

3 5

We support community 

placemaking and 

capacity-building.

DRA will expand efforts to enhance sustainable and inclusive local placemaking, 

quality of life, and community capacity. This includes enabling community 

connectedness, increased efficacy, leadership development, and the ability to 

receive federal support, especially with under-resourced groups.

Strategy 4.1 Provide for leadership development among local leaders and organizations by 

investing in education, skill development, and pilot initiatives.

Example projects and actions by the DRA and its partners may include: 

• Develop new strategic initiatives and continue existing programs that develop leadership, 

administrative, budgetary, and program management skills among local leaders.

• Invest in professional training opportunities for individuals employed by local government, 

educational institutions, small businesses, and non-governmental organizations that advance 

sustainable economic development.

• Support the development of a wider array of leaders across the region, including youth and 

emerging business and community leaders.

D E LTA L E A D E R S H I P I N S T I T U T E ( D L I ) 
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

3 6

• Engage with local residents, such as volunteer elected officials, small business leaders, local 

non-profits, or individual citizens, and perform outreach activities to reach a diverse range 

of community leaders and solicit input to co-create equitable and sustainable economic 

development solutions.

• Nurture community leaders by organizing workshops, hosting collaborative sessions, and 

building networks of professionals striving to accelerate prosperity across the region.

Strategy 4.2 Create support mechanisms to enable communities to be competitive when 

applying for and increasing the ability to receive financial support.

Example projects and actions by the DRA and its partners may include: 

• Provide funding to organizations, community groups, small businesses, and local 

governments for grant-writing activities (e.g., staff, SMEs/consultants, technical assistance, 

application knowledge-sharing).

• Develop training and educational resources on grant writing, fund access and management, 

program management, and implementation to local development districts (LDDs), small 

businesses, and community organizations.

• Increase community ability to respond to macro-economic trends by documenting socioeconomic development best practices, supporting local data collection and reporting, and 

fostering collaboration between city and state leaders during development planning.

• Facilitate knowledge sharing and coalition building of government, businesses, nongovernmental organizations, and grassroots activists to implement large-scale projects and 

cultivate communities to become a locus of upward economic mobility.

Strategy 4.3 Enhance collaboration and social capital to empower residents to drive change 

within and outside of their communities.

Example projects and actions by the DRA and its partners may include: 

• Convene and cultivate strong partnerships among under-resourced groups stimulating 

regionally relevant social and economic initiatives (e.g., HBCUs, Indigenous Environmental 

Network, National Black Farmer’s Association) to encourage local prosperity.

• Participate in creative approaches to introduce assets from DRA communities to the global 

economy (e.g., Sister Cities International, city-state global trade agreements).

Strategy 4.1 cont’d
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

3 7

• Provide technical assistance to community organizations, institutions, and businesses in order 

to stimulate access to and adoption of high-speed broadband services by DRA communities 

for telehealth, remote learning, telework and entrepreneurship, economic growth, and job 

creation.

• Invest in robust social impact measurement, data analysis and reporting to share information 

on collective successes and opportunities.

Strategy 4.4 Invest in local grassroots efforts that provide support for creative placemaking 

and projects that celebrate local culture in order to enrich the quality of life and quality of 

place for current and future residents.

Example projects and actions by the DRA and its partners may include: 

• Highlight the stories of successful downtown revitalization efforts and other place-making 

initiatives across the DRA region that have yielded benefits in the form of increased economic 

activity and talent attraction.

• Work with local and state organizations to better connect residents and visitors to tourismbased events and festivals.

• Preserve and promote DRA region’s natural ecosystems to increase eco-tourism and outdoor 

recreation opportunities for residents and visitors.

• Facilitate the transformation of under-utilized physical spaces into community gathering 

spaces or cultural centers.

• Use the Local Foods, Local Places program and other initiatives to support the region’s farmers 

and farmers markets, revitalize DRA communities, and increase access to locally grown foods.

• Promote attractions that leverage the DRA region’s unique cultural heritage (e.g., civil rights 

history, the Mississippi River, the Mississippi Blues Trail) and contribute to regional branding as 

a great place to visit.

• Support projects that provide affordable working space for artisans and creative workers.

• Invest in the preservation of DRA communities’ dynamic arts, cultural, and heritage traditions.

Strategy 4.3 cont’d
3 8

DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Love Your Block Program

Jackson, TN

“In 2022, the City of Jackson, TN was selected as one of eight U.S. cities to receive a $100,000 grant to 

participate in Love Your Block (LYB), a grant program that brings city leaders and residents together to build 

stronger neighborhoods, one block at a time. Through the program, the City of Jackson, TN awards minigrants to residents and community partners to reduce distressed properties and spur neighborhood-driven 

change. LYB provides competitive mini-grants to community groups to purchase the supplies needed to 

implement local, volunteer-led projects. 

In the first year, the team completed 61 home repairs across 9 projects in East Jackson. Repairs like these 

help low income and elderly homeowners stay in their homes, increase neighborhood and civic pride, 

improve the appearance of the neighborhood, and increase property values. 150 volunteers were engaged 

in the program, over 17,176 pounds of trash were removed from target neighborhoods, and over $26,000 of 

resident cost-savings through volunteer labor and donations were achieved. We are preparing to launch 

year two of the program this spring, with an expansion into more neighborhoods in Jackson that are 

designated as qualifying census tracts.”

DRA Resident, TN
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

3 9

To concretize its goals and ascertain that the DRA is assisting communities in meaningful ways, 

DRA aims to adopt measurable targets related to those goals. The DRA is committed to achieving 

four cross-cutting performance targets through investments in its four Strategic Goals.

These targets relate to the broad outcomes that the DRA is working to achieve over the 2023 to 

2027 plan period. Progress toward those targets will assist communities within the region in their 

efforts to navigate economic ebbs and flows and to enrich the lives of their residents. The extent to 

which various goals align with targets will vary, depending on which grant projects and actions are 

funded. Based on the illustrative projects outlined in the 2023-2027 Goals & Strategies section, all 

performance targets align to each of the four strategic goals. 

MEASURING CHANGE

PERFORMANCE TARGETS

1. Families with improved access to infrastructure 

and/or services. 

2. People trained.

3. Jobs created. 

4. Jobs retained. 

DRA is also committed to several administrative 

and operational actions such as improving their 

grant application portal; advancing principles of 

the Justice40 Initiative; revising programmatic 

guidelines to increase engagement with HBCUs 

and federally-recognized tribes; devising a more 

inclusive stakeholder outreach strategy and 

revising programmatic guidelines to increase 

engagement with BIPOC, LGBTQ+, faith-based 

organizations, and other marginalized groups; 

and revising programmatic guidelines to increase 

investment in persistent poverty counties.

Sample Socio Indicators 

of Progress

Sample Economic 

Indicators of Progress

Population, age, race, 

and ethnicity

Employment and 

unemployment rates

Education rates

Population health rates

Industry employment 

rates

Mortality rates Labor force 

participation rates

Access to basic 

infrastructure (e.g., 

utilities, water, cellular)

Incomes and earnings

Transportation and 

commuting patterns

Poverty rates

INDICATORS OF PROGRESS

In contrast to the performance targets that 

the DRA will use to measure the outcomes of 

investments as they relate to its overall strategic 

goals, these indicators of progress reflect more 

macro-level outcomes. These indicators relate to 

socio-economic progress and can be measured at 

the county/parish or higher level.

By tracking related socio-economic data, the 

DRA can develop information that will inform and 

guide future initiatives and programs related to 

regional and community economic growth and 

development.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

Despite the headwinds that communities faced 

due to COVID-19 and 233 FEMA-declared disasters, 

there is every reason for optimism in the DRA 

region. The people in our communities continue 

to prove their resilience and industriousness. The 

river and the land remain vital to the area, to the 

DRA states, and to the nation. By many measures, 

the region has made important advances.

However, much work remains before us. That work 

will aim to fulfill the four strategic goals set forth in 

this plan: to invest in public infrastructure, nurture 

local workforce ecosystems, promote business 

growth and entrepreneurship, and support 

community placemaking and capacity-building.

Like the cycles of nature, economic cycles — both 

short term and long term — will continue as we 

move forward as a region and as a nation. The 

communities within the DRA region will also 

persevere.

To do that, however, those communities will need 

the support of stakeholders at the local and state 

THE FUTURE OF THE DRA REGION

levels. Each state must remain aware of the 

current and potential resources and contributions 

of its DRA counties or parishes, and of the role 

that state-level decisions play in the fortunes of 

rural communities. In that way, they can enable 

those communities to move more rapidly toward 

achieving the DRA’s strategic goals.

The DRA’s vision and mission are timeless. The 

Authority envisions the region as a place where 

people and businesses in vibrant, sustainable, and 

resilient communities have access to economic 

opportunities. Consequently, the DRA’s mission 

is to engage in the practical application of 

innovative ideas and strategies that will foster 

inclusive communities, strengthen regional 

collaboration and productive capacity, achieve 

sustained, long-term economic development, and 

produce opportunities for all people in the DRA 

region.

The DRA warmly invites all stakeholders in the 

region, and beyond it, to join us in pursuit of this 

vision and in the work that supports our mission.

REELFOOT LAKE, TN

4 0
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

4 1

APPENDICES

Appendix A: Community Survey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Appendix B: Collaboration Sessions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Appendix C: Regional Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Appendix D: DRA Counties and Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Appendix E: References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

42

50

51

59

61
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

4 2

APPENDIX A: COMMUNITY SURVEY DATA

As part of developing the RDP IV, the DRA launched a 14-question survey in November 2022 requesting 

resident perspectives on their communities as well as the respondents’ demographic information. 

Participants were asked to respond to a combination of multiple choice and open-ended questions.

DRA shared the survey with people living in the DRA region (e.g., DLI alumni, DRA community 

members, members of LDDs, government representatives, and others) via electronic mediums such 

as email, social media, and network listservs. Recipients were also encouraged to share the survey with 

others in the region. The survey generated a total of 166 responses from community members across 

the eight-state region. All responses were synthesized to produce this report. 

Q 1 : W H A T I S Y O U R R E L A T I O N S H I P T O D R A? 

Question 1: What is your relationship to DRA?

Most respondents (67%) either live in the DRA region or are currently or were previously a DRA program 

participant.

3.3%

5.5%

10.2%

13.5%

30.0%

37.5%

0% 20% 40%

Other

I am a representative from a DRA Region's state, local, or tribal

government

I previously or currently received a grant from the DRA

I am a member of a DRA Partner organization (e.g., Local

Development District, Economic Development Organization,

Chamber of Commerce)

I am or was a DRA program participant (e.g., Delta Leadership

Institute, Delta Doctors, Innovative Readiness Training, etc.)

I live in the DRA Region
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

4 3

Question 2: How familiar are you with DRA’s programs and projects?

A significant majority (86.8%) of respondents are either very or somewhat familiar with DRA’s programs and 

projects.

6.0%

3.6%

3.6%

35.6%

51.2%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Very Unfamiliar

Somewhat Unfamiliar

Neutral

Somewhat Familiar

Very Familiar

10.8%

17.5%

9.0%

10.2% 10.8%

18.1%

13.9%

9.6%

0%

10%

20%

Q2: HOW FAMILIAR ARE YOU WITH DRA’S PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS?

Q3: IN WHICH STATE DO YOU CURRENTLY LIVE?

Question 3: In which state do you currently live?

The greatest number of responses came from Mississippi (18.1%), Arkansas (17.5%), and Missouri (13.9%), 

followed by Alabama and Louisiana (10.8%), Kentucky (10.2%), Tennessee (9.6%), and Illinois (9.0%).

Question 4: In which county, parish, or tribal lands do you currently live?

Respondents represented the following counties and parishes (note: no tribal lands were shared).
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

4 4

Question 4 cont’d.

Alabama

Conecuh

Dallas

Greene

Wilcox

Marengo

Montgomery

Mississippi

Adams

Attala

Bolivar

Coahoma

Copiah

De Soto

Hinds

Holmes

Jefferson

Jefferson Davis

Lafayette

Madison

Pike

Rankin

Warren

Washington

Arkansas

Boone 

Chicot

Columbia

Craighead

Drew

Faulkner

Greene

Marion 

Mississippi

Monroe

Phillips

Poinsett 

Pulaski

Randolph

Union

White

Illinois

Franklin

Hardin

Jackson

Johnson

Pulaski

Saline

Union

Williamson

Tennessee

Chester

Gibson 

Haywood 

Henry 

Madison

Obion

Shelby

Tipton

Weakley

Missouri

Butler

Cape Girardeau

Dunklin

New Madrid

Perry

Phelps 

Ripley

Rural

Scott

Stoddard

Washington

Wayne

Kentucky

Calloway

Henderson

Hopkins

McCracken

Louisiana

Catahoula

East Baton Rouge 

Franklin

Lincoln 

Morehouse

Orleans

Ouachita

Richland 

St. John the 

Baptist

Vermilion

Q4: IN WHICH COUNTY, PARISH, OR TRIBAL LANDS DO YOU CURRENTLY LIVE?

QUESTION 5: HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN THE DRA REGION?

Question 5: How long have you lived in the DRA region?

More than 90% of respondents have lived in the DRA region for over ten years. Only 4.2% have lived in the 

region for less than 5 years, while 4.8% of respondents have lived there between 5 and 10 years.

4.2% 4.8%

39.2%

51.8%

0%

30%

60%

<5 years 5-10 years 10+ years My entire life
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

4 5

Question 6: What one word would you use to describe your community?

A majority of respondents (60%) used positive words to describe their communities, while 23% of 

participants shared words with negative sentiments and 16% of participants shared words with neutral 

sentiments. Of the 166 responses, the top five most submitted words were: rural (9%), growing (6%), 

potential (5%), progressive (3%), and resilient (3%). 

1.0%

1.5%

1.5%

1.5%

1.5%

1.9%

2.9%

3.4%

3.9%

3.9%

3.9%

6.3%

7.3%

10.2%

15.0%

34.5%

0% 20% 40%

Activities and Recreation

Diversity

Location

Quality of Life / Low Cost of Living

Responsive Government

Schools / Universities

Opportunities

Economy

Other

Public Safety: Safe / Low Crime

Size

Natural Resources / Landscape

Arts / Culture / History / Heritage

Economic Development

Community

People

QUESTION 7: WHAT MAKES YOU PROUD TO LIVE IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

Question 7: What makes you proud to live in your community?

More than one-third of all respondents (34.5%) referred to the People as the aspect of their community they 

are most proud of. This includes features such as caring, collaborative, resilient, and friendly. The second 

most common theme was Community, including the charm, character, advocacy and involvement, and 

close-knit features. The Economy – including ongoing growth and potential – was the third most frequently 

referenced source of pride.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

4 6

Question 8: Are there enough job opportunities in your community?

Two-thirds of respondents believe there are not enough job opportunities in their community.

7.5%

9.0%

10.7%

11.3%

11.8%

14.8%

15.0%

19.9%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

Providing access to quality healthcare

Providing adequate utilities and services (including internet access)

Providing workforce training or leadership development

opportunities

Supporting small businesses

Providing access to capital for entrepreneurs

Residents moving away to seek job opportunities elsewhere

Providing adequate infrastructure (water, sewer, roads, drainage, etc.)

Providing job opportunities with a living wage (or better)

26.5%

66.3%

7.2%

0%

40%

80%

Yes No I'm not sure

Q U E S T I O N 9 : W H E N I T C O M E S T O E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T A N D G R O W T H , W H A T A R E Y O U R 

COMMUNITY’S GREATEST CHALLENGES? CHOOSE UP TO THREE.

QUESTION 8: ARE THERE ENOUGH JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

Question 9: When it comes to economic development and growth, what are your community’s 

greatest challenges? Choose up to three.

When asked what the greatest challenges are to economic development and growth, the topmost 

selected areas were: “Providing job opportunities with a living wage (or better)” (19.9%); “Providing adequate 

infrastructure” (15.0%), and “Residents moving away to seek job opportunities elsewhere” (14.8%).
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

4 7

Question 10: When you think of a strong, healthy future for your community, what words come to 

mind?

Almost half of all respondents (46.3%) referred to the Economy when considering a strong, healthy future 

for the community. This included topics such as job opportunities; economic growth, development, and 

diversity; sustainable growth; and workforce development. Public Services – such as health care and 

education – was the second most referenced theme. Various community features (e.g., resilient, inclusive, 

forward-thinking, and hopeful) were also highlighted.

2.2%

4.1%

8.2%

8.4%

9.1%

9.7%

12.0%

13.8%

14.7%

17.7%

0% 10% 20%

Other

Environmental Justice and Climate Resilience

Access to local, healthy food

Cultural Heritage and Tourism

Transportation

Access to quality healthcare

Community Leadership Education

Workforce Training

Public Utilities / Infrastructure (e.g., water, sewer, broadband)

Business Development and Entrepreneurship

1.7%

2.0%

2.3%

4.0%

4.4%

6.0%

6.7%

9.7%

16.8%

46.3%

0% 25% 50%

Public Safety

Other

Activities and Recreation

Population

Government

Infrastructure

Housing

Community Features

Public Services

Economy

Q U E S T I O N 1 1 : W H I C H O F T H E F O L L O W I N G S H O U L D T H E D E L T A R E G I O N A L A U T H O R I T Y F O C U S O N 

THAT WOULD SUPPORT YOUR VISION OF A STRONG, HEALTHY COMMUNITY?

QUESTION 8: ARE THERE ENOUGH JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

Question 11: Which of the following should the Delta Regional Authority focus on that would support 

your vision of a strong, healthy community?

Respondents selected “Business Development and Entrepreneurship”, “Public Utilities/ Infrastructure”, 

and “Workforce Training” as the top three areas that the DRA should focus on to support a strong, healthy 

community.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

4 8

Question 12: When it comes to Federal programs and resources, what does your community need 

funding for the most?

More than one in four respondents identified Public Infrastructure as the most significant community 

need.

6.0%

21.7%

28.3%

24.1%

19.9%

0%

10%

20%

30%

25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

3.6%

9.0%

9.0%

11.4%

12.7%

14.5%

14.5%

25.3%

0% 10% 20% 30%

Other

Business and community leadership training

Transportation

Accessible, quality healthcare

Workforce Development

Broadband Infrastructure

Small businesses / entrepreneurs

Public Infrastructure

QUESTION 13: WHAT IS YOUR AGE?

Q U E S T I O N 1 2 : W H E N I T C O M E S T O F E D E R A L P R O G R A M S A N D R E S O U R C E S , W H A T D O E S Y O U R 

COMMUNITY NEED FUNDING FOR THE MOST?

Question 13: What is your age?

Most respondents were over the age of 45, with most respondents identifying in the 45-54 year old range.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

4 9

Question 14: Which race/ethnicity best describes you?

More than half of all respondents (56.1%) identified as White or Caucasian, followed by 39.0% identifying 

as Black and/or African American. Less than 5% of respondents identified as multiple races or ethnicities, 

American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, or Other.

56.1%

39.0%

2.5% 0.6% 0.6% 0.6% 0.6%

0%

20%

40%

60%

White or

Caucasian

Black and/or

African

American

Multiple

Races or

Ethnicities

American

Indian or

Alaskan

Native

Asian /

Pacific

Islander

Hispanic Other

QUESTION 14: WHICH RACE/ETHNICITY BEST DESCRIBES YOU?
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

5 0

APPENDIX B: COLLABORATION 

SESSION INSIGHTS

To create and validate key components of the Regional Development Plan, the DRA engaged with 

DRA staff as well as 138 DRA partners, state and local government officials, Delta Leadership Institute 

(DLI) alumni, community and business leaders, and residents to ensure the Plan’s alignment with the 

region’s interests. These collaboration sessions sought to refine and confirm strategic goals, objectives, 

and activities and to assist in determining the DRA’s guiding principles. They also aimed to clarify the 

complex challenges facing the region and ways in which the DRA can collaborate with stakeholders to 

achieve its vision.

The resulting insights were instrumental in formulating the DRA’s Regional Development Plan IV and its 

strategic goals and guiding principles. Essentially, the strategic goals set forth the DRA’s priorities over 

the plan period, and the guiding principles define how those goals will be pursued.

Collaboration sessions were segmented according to participant relationships with the DRA. Therefore, 

four collaboration sessions were held with 58 governor offices and LDD representatives, 34 minority 

majority stakeholders, 46 DLI and DLI-Harvard Kennedy School participants. The session attendees 

represented all eight states – Alabama (13), Arkansas (26), Illinois (8), Kentucky (11), Louisiana (8), 

Mississippi (25), Missouri (11), and Tennessee (10) – across the DRA region as shown in Figure 1.1. Twentysix participants did not specify their state affiliation

FIGURE 1.1 COLLABORATION SESSION PARTICIPANTS BY STATE

AL AR IL KY LA MS MO TN

DLI Alumni 3 12 3 4 4 4 7 8

Minority Majority Stakeholders 5 6 1 3 2 13 0 0

Governor Offices & LDDs 5 8 4 4 2 8 4 2

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Governor Offices & LDDs Minority Majority Stakeholders DLI Alumni
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

5 1

APPENDIX C: REGIONAL DATA

Note: The data in this Appendix has been drawn and developed from data from federal sources, such 

as the U.S. Census Bureau, and state sources, supplemented with information from the DRA. For a full 

list of references, see Appendix E.

PERSISTENT POVERTY

Multigenerational poverty continues to affect both the regional economy and the daily lives of DRA 

residents. In 2020, one in five DRA residents was estimated to be living below the federal poverty line, 

with 88% of DRA counties and parishes experiencing Persistent Poverty.

Persistent-poverty counties 

have undergone historical 

underinvestment and typically 

have high rates of unemployment; 

banking, healthcare, and 

broadband deserts; and a scarcity 

of quality, affordable housing and 

safe drinking water. Research has 

revealed that the roots of today’s 

affluence and poverty can be 

traced back to the neighborhoods 

where people grew up.

As the example of Shelby 

County illustrates, poverty is 

frequently generational and 

follows people even if they leave 

the area as adults. Investments 

that address the root causes of 

multigenerational poverty will not 

transform the region overnight, 

but a sustained and targeted 

effort can help break the cycle. 

Source: Opportunity Atlas
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

5 2

DRA counties and parishes experience a significantly higher level of poverty than the national average – 

nearly twice as much. This disparity also extends to the states that the DRA operates in, though to a lesser 

degree.

 96

 97

 98

 99

 100

 101

 102

 103

 104

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Labor Force Size 

(2016=100)

National DRA Counties DRA States

PANDEMIC

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

9%

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Unemployment Rate

National DRA Counties DRA States

PANDEMIC

11.6%

20.1%

23.5%

16.1%

19.3%

16.3% 15.9%

12.1%

16.2%

16.5%

20.7%

19.6%

23.7%

19.4% 18.6%

12.7%

17.5%

13.6%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

POPULATION LIVING IN POVERTY (2020), U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

LABOR FORCE SIZE, BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

UNEMPLOYMENT

The pandemic led 

to a sharp increase 

in unemployment 

and a decrease in 

labor force size. While 

unemployment rates 

have dropped as 

economic activity has 

returned to normal, 

labor force participation 

remains below prepandemic levels. This 

trend is particularly 

acute in DRA counties 

and parishes, which were 

already experiencing 

stagnant levels of labor 

force participation.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

5 3

INCOME & EDUCATION

DRA counties and parishes have a far lower percentage of individuals with a college education when 

compared with their state-level peers and the national average.

32.9%

16.4%

14.7%

26.2%

15.6%

23.8%

17.3%

35.5%

17.0%

25.0%

17.4%

24.9%

17.7%

22.8%

14.9%

29.9%

16.6%

28.2%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

$59.5

$41.0 $38.7

$46.5

$39.4

$47.2 $43.8

$62.9

$42.5

$47.3

$44.6

$50.9

$39.7

$42.1

$38.0

$51.7

$41.4

$51.0

 $-

 $10

 $20

 $30

 $40

 $50

 $60

 $70

Thousands

PERCENT OF POPULATION WITH A COLLEGE DEGREE (2020), U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

PER CAPITA INCOME (2020), BUREAU OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

DRA counties and parishes experience a significantly lower level of per capita income when compared 

with their state-level peers and the national average. 
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

5 4

POPULATION GROWTH

While most DRA states (except for IL and MS) experienced significant population growth during the 2010’s, 

the DRA counties and parishes within these states experienced population decreases.

STATE SNAPSHOTS

-5.9%

7.4%

-8.7%

5.1%

-6.4%

3.3%

-9.2%

-0.1%

-2.9%

3.8%

-3.6%

2.7%

-6.4%

-0.2%

-8.2%

2.8%

-2.0%

8.9%

-12%

-10%

-8%

-6%

-4%

-2%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

Population Growth (2020 vs. 2010)

POPULATION GROWTH (2010 vs. 2020), U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

POVERTY RATE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

L A B O R F O R C E 

PARTICIPATION RATE

Alabama

AL Poverty Rates 

are above the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.

 AL Labor Force 

Participation Rates 

are below the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.

AL Unemployment 

Rates are mixed 

when compared 

with the national 

average.

11.6%

16.1%

23.5%

United States Alabama AL-DRA

78.3% 71.5%

61.3%

United States Alabama AL-DRA

3.9%

2.9%

5.8%

United States Alabama AL-DRA

 AL TOP 3 EMPLOYMENT INDUSTRIES

20%

19%

12%

Manufacturing

Finance, Insurance,

Real Estate

Professional and 

Business Services
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

5 5

11.6%

16.3%

19.3%

United States Arkansas AR-DRA

11.6% 12.1%

15.9%

United States Illinois IL-DRA

3.9%

3.3%

4.8%

United States Arkansas AR-DRA

3.9%

4.8%

6.0%

United States Illinois IL-DRA

78.3%

72.5%

66.5%

United States Arkansas AR-DRA

78.3% 79.5%

65.9%

United States Illinois IL-DRA

POVERTY RATE

POVERTY RATE

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

L A B O R F O R C E 

PARTICIPATION RATE

L A B O R F O R C E 

PARTICIPATION RATE

 AR TOP 3 EMPLOYMENT INDUSTRIES

 IL TOP 3 EMPLOYMENT INDUSTRIES

Arkansas

AR Poverty Rates 

are above the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.

AR Labor Force 

Participation Rates 

are below the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.

Illinois

IL Poverty Rates are 

above the national 

average at both the 

state and DRA level.

IL Labor Force 

Participation Rates 

are mixed when 

compared with the 

national average.

17%

17%

14%

Manufacturing

Finance, Insurance,

Real Estate

Professional and

Business Services

22%

14%

12%

Finance, Insurance,

Real Estate

Professional and 

Business Services

Manufacturing

AR Unemployment 

Rates are mixed 

when compared 

to the national 

average.

IL Unemployment 

Rates are above the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

5 6

11.6%

16.5% 16.2%

United States Kentucky KY-DRA

11.6%

19.6% 20.7%

United States Louisiana LO-DRA

3.9% 4.2% 4.8%

United States Kentucky KY-DRA

3.9% 4.2%

5.5%

United States Louisiana LO-DRA

78.3%

72.6%

67.8%

United States Kentucky KY-DRA

78.3% 72.5% 65.2%

United States Louisiana LO-DRA

POVERTY RATE

POVERTY RATE

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

L A B O R F O R C E 

PARTICIPATION RATE

L A B O R F O R C E 

PARTICIPATION RATE

 KY TOP 3 EMPLOYMENT INDUSTRIES

 LA TOP 3 EMPLOYMENT INDUSTRIES

Kentucky

KY Poverty Rates 

are above the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.

KY Labor Force 

Participation Rates 

are below the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.

Louisiana

LA Poverty Rates 

are above the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.

LA Labor Force 

Participation Rates 

are below the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.

22%

14%

12%

Manufacturing

Finance, Insurance, 

Real Estate

Education and Health 

Care Services

22%

14%

12%

Manufacturing

Finance, Insurance, 

Real Estate

Education and Health

Care Services

KY Unemployment 

Rates are above the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.

LA Unemployment 

Rates are above the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

5 7

11.6%

19.4%

23.7%

United States Mississippi MS-DRA

11.6% 12.7%

18.6%

United States Missouri MO-DRA

3.9% 4.3%

7.1%

United States Mississippi MS-DRA

3.9%

3.4%

4.7%

United States Missouri MO-DRA

78.3% 71.1% 64.5%

United States Mississippi MS-DRA

78.3% 77.6%

67.4%

United States Missouri MO-DRA

POVERTY RATE

POVERTY RATE

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

L A B O R F O R C E 

PARTICIPATION RATE

L A B O R F O R C E 

PARTICIPATION RATE

MS TOP 3 EMPLOYMENT INDUSTRIES

MO TOP 3 EMPLOYMENT INDUSTRIES

Mississippi

MS Poverty Rates 

are above the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.

MS Labor Force 

Participation Rates 

are below the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.

Missouri

MO Poverty Rates 

are above the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.

MO Labor Force 

Participation Rates 

are below the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.

22%

14%

12%

Manufacturing

Finance, Insurance, 

Real Estate

Education and Health

Care Services

22%

14%

12%

Finance, Insurance,

Real Estate

Professional and 

Business Services

Manufacturing

MS Unemployment 

Rates are above the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.

MO Unemployment 

Rates are mixed 

when compared 

with the national 

average.
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

5 8

11.6%

13.6%

17.5%

United States Tennessee TN-DRA

3.9% 3.4%

4.8%

United States Tennessee TN-DRA

78.3%

75.2%

67.2%

United States Tennessee TN-DRA

POVERTY RATE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

L A B O R F O R C E 

PARTICIPATION RATE

TN TOP 3 EMPLOYMENT INDUSTRIES

Tennessee

TN Poverty Rates 

are mixed when 

compared with the 

national average.

TN Labor Force 

Participation Rates 

are below the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.

22%

14%

12%

Finance, Insurance,

Real Estate

Manufacturing

Professional and 

Business Services

TN Unemployment 

Rates are above the 

national average at 

both the state and 

DRA level.

TOTAL DRA FUNDING (2015-2022) vs. DEGREE OF RACIAL PLURALITY BY COUNTY

SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

5 9

APPENDIX D: DRA COUNTIES & MAP

Alabama (20 Counties): Barbour, Bullock, Butler, 

Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Dallas, Escambia, 

Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, 

Monroe, Perry, Pickens, Russell, Sumter, 

Washington, Wilcox

Arkansas (42 Counties): Arkansas, Ashley, 

Baxter, Bradley, Calhoun, Chicot, Clay, Cleveland, 

Craighead, Crittenden, Cross, Dallas, Desha, 

Drew, Fulton, Grant, Greene, Independence, 

Izard, Jackson, Jefferson, Lawrence, Lee, Lincoln, 

Lonoke, Marion, Mississippi, Monroe, Ouachita, 

Phillips, Poinsett, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, St. 

Francis, Searcy, Sharp, Stone, Union, Van Buren, 

White, Woodruff

Illinois (16 Counties): Alexander, Franklin, 

Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, 

Massac, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, 

Union, White, Williamson

Kentucky (21 Counties): Ballard, Caldwell, 

Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, 

Fulton, Graves, Henderson, Hickman, Hopkins, 

Livingston, Lyon, McCracken, McLean, Marshall, 

Muhlenberg, Todd, Trigg, Union, Webster

Louisiana (56 Counties): Acadia, Allen, 

Ascension, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, 

Bienville, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, 

Claiborne, Concordia, De Soto, East Baton 

Rouge, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, 

Franklin, Grant, Iberia, Iberville, Jackson, 

Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafourche, La Salle, 

Lincoln, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, 

Natchitoches, Orleans, Ouachita, Plaquemines, 

Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Red River, Richland, 

St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, 

St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. 

Mary, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Union, Vermillion, 

Washington, Webster, West Baton Rouge, West 

Carroll, West Feliciana, Winn

Mississippi (47 Counties): Adams, Amite, Attala, 

Benton, Bolivar, Carroll, Claiborne, Coahoma, 

Copiah, Covington, DeSoto, Franklin, Grenada, 

Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Jasper, 

Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, Lawrence, 

Leflore, Lincoln, Madison, Marion, Marshall, 

Montgomery, Panola, Pike, Quitman, Rankin, 

Sharkey, Simpson, Smith, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, 

Tate, Tippah, Tunica, Union, Walthall, Warren, 

Washington, Wilkinson, Yalobusha, Yazoo

Missouri (29 Counties): Bollinger, Butler, Cape 

Girardeau, Carter, Crawford, Dent, Douglas, 

Dunklin, Howell, Iron, Madison, Mississippi, New 

Madrid, Oregon, Ozark, Pemiscot, Perry, Phelps, 

Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Ste. Genevieve, 

St. Francois, Stoddard, Texas, Washington, 

Wayne, Wright

Tennessee (21 Counties): Benton, Carroll, 

Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, 

Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, 

Lake, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy, Obion, 

Shelby, Tipton, Weakley
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

6 0

DRA REGION

DRA Service Area
DRA REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN IV

6 1

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the States, territories, and nation. SBA's Office of Advocacy. Retrieved December 2022, from https://advocacy.sba.

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https://www.fema.gov/data-visualization/disaster-declarations-states-and-counties

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9. College Navigator -National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved January 2023, from https://nces.ed.gov

10. HBCU First. (2019, October 19). Map of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Retrieved January 2023, from 

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January 2023, from https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/environmental-justice-your-community

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Ramdorai, A. (2020, July 8). Prioritizing health: A prescription for prosperity. McKinsey & Company. Retrieved from https://

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APPENDIX E: REFERENCES